Hat having selectively extendable brim

ABSTRACT

A selectively extendable brim hat for enabling a wearer to extend coverage and protection from the elements over his face comprises a hat body defined as a wearable head covering shaped as a conventional driver&#39;s cap and having a front end, a back end, and a bottom rim extending around its perimeter edge, ear flaps, and an extendable brim defined by two discrete brim flaps which are hingedly attached to the bottom rim, each spanning from one side of the to selectively extendable brim hat to the area of the front end. In the deployed position, the flaps of the extendable brim additionally include an auxiliary flap which also can be flipped down to further extend such coverage over a users face provided by such flaps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to wearable headgear and, more particularly, to a waterproof hat having a foldaway brim and neck/ear protectors.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use hats and other wearable headgear for protection from the elements while outdoors is well known. Conventional hats commonly protect the crown area (as opposed to the face or whole skull) of the head, and often times include structures to additionally protect the ears and back neck. A problem which still exists, however, is that conventional hats typically lack a selectively deployable covering for a wearer's face in order to protect it from rain and/or snow. Thus, there remains a need for a selectively extendable brim hat which can be folded down over a wear's face to cover and protect the face. It would be helpful if such a selectively extendable brim hat included a brim that could be set in a deployed position and a retracted position, without requiring user attention to stay in either position. It would be additionally desirable for such a selectively extendable brim hat to additionally include conventional ear and neck flaps to enable complete protection of a wearers head.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a selectively extendable brim hat adapted to allow a user to position an oversized brim in a retracted position against the top of the hat and a deployed position covering the user's face. The primary components in Applicant's selectively extendable brim hat are a hat body and an extendable brim. When in operation, the selectively extendable brim hat enables a user to cover his face and protect it from the elements, such as rain, snow, and/or wind, without having to carry a separate covering. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by prior art structures are removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A selectively extendable brim hat for enabling a wearer to extend coverage and protection from the elements over his face. The selectively extendable brim hat comprises a hat body defined as a wearable head covering shaped as a conventional driver's cap and having a front end, a back end, and a bottom rim extending around its perimeter edge, ear flaps which extend downward from the bottom rim, spanning from one side of the hat body all the way around the back end to the other side of the hat body, and an extendable brim defined by two discrete brim flaps which are hingedly attached to the bottom rim, each spanning from one side of the to selectively extendable brim hat 100 to the area of the front end. The ear flaps enable the selectively extendable brim hat to provided coverage the ears and neck of a wearer, while the flaps of the extendable brim extend coverage over a users face. In the deployed position the flaps of the extendable brim additionally include an auxiliary flap which also can be flipped down to further extend such coverage.

It is an object of this invention to provide an extension bar for a need for a selectively extendable brim hat which can be folded down over a wear's face to cover and protect the face.

It is another object of this invention to provide a selectively extendable brim hat which includes a brim that could be set in a deployed position and a retracted position, without requiring user attention to stay in either position.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a selectively extendable brim hat that additionally includes conventional ear and neck flaps to enable complete protection of a wearers head.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a selectively extendable brim hat built in accordance with the present invention having brim in the retracted position.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a selectively extendable brim hat built in accordance with the present invention having brim in the retracted position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a selectively extendable brim hat built in accordance with the present invention having brim in the deployed position.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a selectively extendable brim hat built in accordance with the present invention having brim in the deployed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1-4, a selectively extendable brim hat 100 is shown having a hat body 110, ear flaps 120 and an extendable brim 130. The hat body 110 is defined as a wearable head covering shaped as a conventional driver's cap and having a front end 111, a back end 112, and a bottom rim 113 extending around its perimeter edge.

The ear flaps 120 extend downward from the bottom rim 113, spanning from one side of the hat body 110 all the way around the back end 112 to the other side of the hat body 110. In this regard, the ear flaps 120 are configured to cover the ears and neck of a wearer of the selectively extendable brim hat 100.

The extendable brim 130 is defined by two discrete brim flaps 131 which are hingedly attached to the bottom rim 113, each spanning from one side of the to selectively extendable brim hat 100 to the area of the front end 111. In this regard, the flaps 131 of the extendable brim 130 can be flipped down into extended flaps 131′. Once placed in the deployed position as extended flaps 131′, an auxiliary flap 131″ is revealed which also can be flipped down to extend coverage over a users face.

It is contemplated that in the preferred embodiment, the selectively extendable brim hat 100 is constructed out of wool with a waterproof/breathable fabric membrane (such as Gore-tex) layer.

In one embodiment, the ear flaps 120 are defined by two discrete flaps which each are disposed on one side of the hat body 110.

In one embodiment, the extendable brim is defined by a single brim which spans from one side of the hat body 110 all the way around the back end 112 to the other side of the hat body 110.

In one embodiment, the extendable brim 130 is attached to the hat body 110 slightly above the bottom rim 113.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. 

1. A selectively extendable brim hat, comprising: a hat body defined as a wearable head covering and having a front end, a back end, and a bottom rim extending around its perimeter edge; an extendable brim defined by at least one discrete brim flap hingedly attached to the bottom rim adjacent to the front end, thereby enabling said extendable brim to be flipped between a retracted position in which it does not extend below the bottom rim and a deployed position in which it extends below the bottom rim; and a discrete auxiliary flap integral with each of said at least one brim flaps, wherein each of said auxiliary flaps is adapted to be selectively extended from the brim flap with which said auxiliary flap is integrated once the brim flap is in the deployed position.
 2. The selectively extendable brim hat of claim 1, wherein said extendable brim defined by two discrete brim flaps, each spanning from one side of the selectively extendable brim hat to the area of the front end.
 3. (canceled)
 4. The selectively extendable brim hat of claim 1, wherein each of said auxiliary flaps is adapted to be selectively extended from the brim flap with which said auxiliary flap is integrated by being flipped down from the brim flap.
 5. The selectively extendable brim hat of claim 1, additionally comprising an ear flaps apparatus defined by at least one ear flap, wherein said ear flap apparatus extends downward from the bottom rim and adjacent to the back end.
 6. The selectively extendable brim hat of claim 5, wherein said ear flaps apparatus defined by one ear flap which spans from one side of the hat body all the way around the back end to the other side of the hat body.
 7. The selectively extendable brim hat of claim 1, additionally comprising an ear flaps apparatus configured to cover the ears and neck of a wearer of the selectively extendable brim hat.
 8. (canceled)
 9. A selectively extendable brim hat, comprising: a hat body defined as a wearable head covering shaped as a conventional driver's cap and having a front end, a back end, and a bottom rim extending around its perimeter edge; an ear flaps apparatus defined by one ear flap which spans from one side of the hat body all the way around the back end to the other side of the hat body, wherein said ear flap apparatus extends downward from the bottom rim and adjacent to the back end; an extendable brim defined by two discrete brim flaps hingedly attached to the bottom rim adjacent to the front end, wherein each brim flap spans from one side of the to selectively extendable brim hat to the area of the front end and said extendable brim is configured to be placed in a retracted position not extending below the bottom rim and a deployed position extending below the bottom rim; and a discrete auxiliary flap integral with each of said at least one brim flaps, wherein each of said auxiliary flaps is adapted to be selectively extended from the brim flap with which said auxiliary flap is integrated once the brim flap is in the deployed position. 